An interesting thing came into my mind today as I sat in the employee lounge at my work, which just happens to be in a basement, it was nice being down there alone with just my lunch and thoughts. And boy did my thoughts run away.

I had met with the missionaries earlier in the day to discuss our weekly Bible study chapters. Knowing I might be on a side which I do not really care to work on, I asked the Elders to leave me with a uplifting word from the Book of Mormon to get me through the night. Alma 11:40 came to the elders mind

"And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else."

As I pondered these words again I thought of what one of the elders said through believing in Jesus Christ and good works we all will be saved.

Good works, huh. That led me to think of a question that was asked this Sunday on Sunday school:
                                                   

                                                    "What does being the Lord’s covenant

                                                    people have to do with how we dress,
                                                    act, and keep the commandments of
                                                    God?"

I have the first part down which is believing in Jesus Christ that he is my savior and my redeemer. That he was sent by Heavenly Father to die on the cross for my sins. He is my big brother, my middle man, my shoulder to lean on. I may not always remember in my trials and tribulations to always call upon Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to get me through my troubles. I don't always feast upon his words everyday. It's hard for me to pray, or actually it is hard for me to remember to pray. At times I kind of envy people that remember to do it, it's nice to be in a fast food restaurant and see a couple bow their heads and say a prayer before they eat their meal. Sometimes, and I try so hard not to do it, I do take the Lord's name in vain. It's kind of hard when you are used to cussing, but I am trying to do better and trying to choose different words instead. I am trying to go to church every week, even if it is only for one hour out of the three hours we go. I've actually had friends who ask how I can go to church for three hours, but honestly since I have grown up in the church it doesn't bother me. I love it, because the first hour is our Sacrament hour or mass to some people. Our second hour is Sunday School, and then the third hour is like Sunday School only women go to one class and the men go to another class. And honestly, when I am at church going through the different classes/hours it doesn't feel like I have been at church for three hours at all. Sometimes I am sad at the end of church because I had such a wonderful, spiritual experience I don't want it to end.
So how does good works go hand in hand with believing in Jesus Christ?  It's hard for me to explain.  But we can ask ourselves, How is it that if you believe in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and still do wicked things?  I know that in my heart that can't really be, for you can not have two masters.

                                                         24 ¶No man can serve two masters:
                                                              for either he will hate the one,
                                                              and love the other; or else he will
                                                              hold to the one, and despise the other. 
                                                             Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

If you truely follow Jesus Christ in your heart, then you will strive to not only keep the commandments of our Heavenly Father, but also follow the teachings of Jesus.  When he was here on earth, he helped the weak, the sick, the sinful, and poor.  He told us to be converted as little children.  If you truely have faith in Jesus Christ, you will strive to folloow the commandments, which in turn betters yourself.  Not only that but you will also learn to forgive others and do unto them as you would have them do unto you.  You just can't hold a grudge against someone and another for total forgiveness if you haven't forgiven in your heart. 
                                                      

                                                       13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
                                                       Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this
                                                       is the whole duty of man.
                                                       14 For God shall bring every work into judgment,
                                                       with every secret thing, whether it be good,
                                                       or whether it be evil.

Book of Mormon: A reading challenge for me.



This is not an official Book of Mormon from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints but this edition of the Book of Mormon is published by special arrangement with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah.



Example of how I am marking my new Book of Mormon



I have chosen to read the Book of Mormon again, from coverth to coverth.  Usually I start something like this and about half way through the book I for some reason stop reading.  Which is horrible because I really enjoy reading the Book of Mormon and I have fun trying to find different things to help me understand the words of the Lord.  For example every time I see the word baptism I take a green pen and write over the letters with the pen.  I do it for repentance (blue), faith (black), Holy Ghost(red), keep the commandments (purple), Lord or Heavenly Father or any other names for God (highlighted in Yellow) and Jesus Christ or any other names for him (highlighted in Orange).  I also have other colors that without my color chart in front of me I can not pull off the top of my head.  Its amazing to look back on what you have read and see the different colors and their meaning.   Did you know that on the very first page of the Book of Mormon, Where 1Nephi starts, God is mentioned 2 times with in 3 verses or if you flip to page 41 God (Lord, Spirit of God) is mentioned 20 times? In one of the chapters of Ether faith is mentioned around 32 times? (man I wish I had my book that has it highlighted in front of me so I can give the correct amount). The bad part is that no matter how many times I read the Book of Mormon and highlight different verses I can never remember verses off the top of my head.  Some people can say (I'm just making it up and looking up the verse, mind you I have a copy of the Book of Mormon next to me and the internet where I can look up these verses) Alma 32:15 says: Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty. I can't even begin to quote scriptures or even tell you where the verse was that I read it.  Like yesterday I read prophecy about the Book of Mormon and one verse said a Bible a Bible we already have a Bible, Oh man I better look that up because I don't know if I am quoting it right or even where it is.  That is how bad I am at memorizing the scriptures.....pause for looking up....Okay so it is in 2Nephi 29:3 and the actual verse is "....A Bible! A Bible! We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible." So I was close, but I still didn't know where it was, the only way I found it was because I had highlighted it.  I think I have gotten off coarse on what I was talking about.  

So anyways, I want to read it from cover to cover but I wanted to do some type of challenge.  I have been presented a few challenges from the missionaries in the past and I have forgotten what they were so I googled  and I found a blog that had a schedule that was for a 30 day reading cycle.  It comes off of a talk by  President Gordon B. Hinckley Click here if you want to read what it says:  http://www.maccabe.org/images/7/7d/90DayBOM.pdf 


Inside cover of my Book of Mormon

 So I copied the schedule and taped it to the front of my Book of Mormon,  which everyone says it is a good idea to start a new book when you decide to start over.  If only they knew how many times I start and stop reading.  I think I would have a million books.
I think I am doing alright in keeping to the schedule. I am a day or two behind, but I am striving to read it!!

I just want to say that I know this book, The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ.  And if you read it, with real intent, you will know it does testify of Christ.  For only things that testify of the goodness of the Lord are of the Lord, because the devil can not testify of the goodness of the Lord but only the Holy Ghost can testify of God and Jesus.  I hope you will seek the happiness this book brings and feel how closer to Heavenly Father you will become by just reading this book then asking Heavenly Father if this IS his words.

 

Update:

I suck at keeping up with my goals.  As of today I am 10 days behind schedule.  But I am proud to say that I am reading each day.